The Glory of the Gem 100
I know you've been wondering/waiting to see if you'd see a TR from me on this one. Hell and highwater couldn't keep me from it. Sit back and enjoy...I'll do my damndest to capture the wonder of this day, but I want to say that you cannot imagine how amazing a day this was if you were not smack dab in the middle of it. It WAS one of the BEST days of my life. Trust me, you may read this and think "Cool!," but to those who were there...it was magical. This is what life as a proud and loyal Po!nter is all about.
Dan had asked me if I was interested in doing the 100 a heck of a long time ago; at the time I didn't think a whole lot of the idea, not being much for marathoning. After CM and as the day drew closer, I thought, what the heck...it will be worth the experience. Plus I heard Jo was coming, which will always sway me to do something.
Fast forward to June 10. I'm flat on my back all day, basically, from the day before with Brian at the park. I'm getting over BAD laryngitis, and I've been pulling some really crappy hours lately (mornings? what are those?) so as I loafed around I'm thinking maybe I should skip the 100..but I knew I'd never live it down if I didn't go. And I wanted to see everyone again...you know how much I love you guys. So if I'm going to make it, I figured, I would have to take my dad to work at 5 am, and then head out, meaning I'd have to be up at around 3:45 or 4 to make it. Well, I did it for CM, but I was already going on a sleep deficit, and at CM I got a chance to nap. This time it wasn't going to happen. OH SO WHAT! LIFE IS SHORT AND MEANT TO BE LIVED...GO TO THE DAMN THING!
Ten o clock rolls around. GTTP'ers IM me and we tidy up final threads. Dad comes in and asks that I get to bed soon...sure, sure dad, no problem. I'm doing my nails red and blue and deciding on an outfit, searching out the sunscreen, all those usual things.
Two fricking thirty AM rolls around and I am still online talking to Brian. I'm starting to actually wonder if there is a limit as to how much fun you're supposed to have talking to someone, because I'm losing a lot of sleep over talking to him (but you won't see me complaining, I'm just a hellishly lucky little gal). He heads off to bed. I lay down, thinking with a grimace about the day ahead of me..and an idea pops into my head. You'll see me with my blonde chunks (on the either side of the front of my hair) in different colors from time to time..didn't I have some red and blue around here somewhere? Check to a cabinet proves it. The lightbulb goes on. I lay down again, turn off the light...and moments later the alarm goes off. Four *&^%*$ AM. No sleep. No food in the house except some curdled cottage cheese and a loaf of tempeh. Yeah, I can deal...sure. Off to the potty to paint my bangs up and then wait out the 30 mins it takes. Hair washed, I take a peek and I'm thrilled...fire engine red on one side, midnight blue on the other. Perfect! Now I'm psyched. I throw on an old CP shirt, eat the antiquated cottage cheese, pack my pockets to the brim with everything myself and a small army may need (VIVARIN! VIVARIN!), grab my new Destiny's Child and the best house cd in the world by Lazy Dog, and I'm off.
After dropping dad off, I find myself settle into a trance as I drive down 75, wondering why the heck I'm doing this and whether I'll survive. At a couple points I was so tired on the drive down that I had a rough time of it, but nothing stops a Po!nter, so on I drove. I depended on many replays of the thumping "Bootylicious" and "Sexy Daddy" Destiny's Child songs to keep me awake with some semblance of adrenaline going, and kept thinking that if I got too tired, I could always bail (knowing full well I wouldn't bail even if I broke both my legs).
Got to the SC lot, got out of the car, and took a deep breath. Trip 11 of the year. I let the feeling of early morning at the park surround and embrace me. Somehow I made it to TGIF's, where a sober group of GTTP'ers made up of myself, Jo, Samantha, SpartyJeff, Dan, and another GTTPer (ROTTEN with names, so if I forget anyone, reply and yell at me!) feasted on the buffet. Moments later, Rob and Natalie come bustling in, Nat a bundle of energy and regretting the night before. Rob's always saying he never got to meet me, so I introduce myself (again, since he fricking met me opening day but I guess I was just too lame to remember). And again we all sit, contemplating the day. I hear a commotion, and after listening in a bit I discover that Rob's ordering a beer...his 7th of the day. Everyone else is freaking out that someone would order a beer at 8 am, but I merely said "WHAT? THEY'RE SERVING AT THIS TIME? BRING ME A COLADA!" like the good little drunk I am. So there Rob and I sit, sucking down booze for breakfast, me following it with a Vivarin. Do you know how great it is to know that I have a fellow alcoholic on GTTP? I don't feel so alone now. I was so tired I was beyond feeling it, but it was the thought that counted. Packed down a few more eggs for good measure, and then walked back to the car to bandage up my GRATED feet from Saturday while the group clamored around the Resort Gate. *** This post was edited by CP Irvine on 6/13/2001. ***
Dan had asked me if I was interested in doing the 100 a heck of a long time ago; at the time I didn't think a whole lot of the idea, not being much for marathoning. After CM and as the day drew closer, I thought, what the heck...it will be worth the experience. Plus I heard Jo was coming, which will always sway me to do something.
Fast forward to June 10. I'm flat on my back all day, basically, from the day before with Brian at the park. I'm getting over BAD laryngitis, and I've been pulling some really crappy hours lately (mornings? what are those?) so as I loafed around I'm thinking maybe I should skip the 100..but I knew I'd never live it down if I didn't go. And I wanted to see everyone again...you know how much I love you guys. So if I'm going to make it, I figured, I would have to take my dad to work at 5 am, and then head out, meaning I'd have to be up at around 3:45 or 4 to make it. Well, I did it for CM, but I was already going on a sleep deficit, and at CM I got a chance to nap. This time it wasn't going to happen. OH SO WHAT! LIFE IS SHORT AND MEANT TO BE LIVED...GO TO THE DAMN THING!
Ten o clock rolls around. GTTP'ers IM me and we tidy up final threads. Dad comes in and asks that I get to bed soon...sure, sure dad, no problem. I'm doing my nails red and blue and deciding on an outfit, searching out the sunscreen, all those usual things.
Two fricking thirty AM rolls around and I am still online talking to Brian. I'm starting to actually wonder if there is a limit as to how much fun you're supposed to have talking to someone, because I'm losing a lot of sleep over talking to him (but you won't see me complaining, I'm just a hellishly lucky little gal). He heads off to bed. I lay down, thinking with a grimace about the day ahead of me..and an idea pops into my head. You'll see me with my blonde chunks (on the either side of the front of my hair) in different colors from time to time..didn't I have some red and blue around here somewhere? Check to a cabinet proves it. The lightbulb goes on. I lay down again, turn off the light...and moments later the alarm goes off. Four *&^%*$ AM. No sleep. No food in the house except some curdled cottage cheese and a loaf of tempeh. Yeah, I can deal...sure. Off to the potty to paint my bangs up and then wait out the 30 mins it takes. Hair washed, I take a peek and I'm thrilled...fire engine red on one side, midnight blue on the other. Perfect! Now I'm psyched. I throw on an old CP shirt, eat the antiquated cottage cheese, pack my pockets to the brim with everything myself and a small army may need (VIVARIN! VIVARIN!), grab my new Destiny's Child and the best house cd in the world by Lazy Dog, and I'm off.
After dropping dad off, I find myself settle into a trance as I drive down 75, wondering why the heck I'm doing this and whether I'll survive. At a couple points I was so tired on the drive down that I had a rough time of it, but nothing stops a Po!nter, so on I drove. I depended on many replays of the thumping "Bootylicious" and "Sexy Daddy" Destiny's Child songs to keep me awake with some semblance of adrenaline going, and kept thinking that if I got too tired, I could always bail (knowing full well I wouldn't bail even if I broke both my legs).
Got to the SC lot, got out of the car, and took a deep breath. Trip 11 of the year. I let the feeling of early morning at the park surround and embrace me. Somehow I made it to TGIF's, where a sober group of GTTP'ers made up of myself, Jo, Samantha, SpartyJeff, Dan, and another GTTPer (ROTTEN with names, so if I forget anyone, reply and yell at me!) feasted on the buffet. Moments later, Rob and Natalie come bustling in, Nat a bundle of energy and regretting the night before. Rob's always saying he never got to meet me, so I introduce myself (again, since he fricking met me opening day but I guess I was just too lame to remember). And again we all sit, contemplating the day. I hear a commotion, and after listening in a bit I discover that Rob's ordering a beer...his 7th of the day. Everyone else is freaking out that someone would order a beer at 8 am, but I merely said "WHAT? THEY'RE SERVING AT THIS TIME? BRING ME A COLADA!" like the good little drunk I am. So there Rob and I sit, sucking down booze for breakfast, me following it with a Vivarin. Do you know how great it is to know that I have a fellow alcoholic on GTTP? I don't feel so alone now. I was so tired I was beyond feeling it, but it was the thought that counted. Packed down a few more eggs for good measure, and then walked back to the car to bandage up my GRATED feet from Saturday while the group clamored around the Resort Gate. *** This post was edited by CP Irvine on 6/13/2001. ***
It hit me on the way back what I was going to do. I knew that even if everyone else around me was bloody and bruised, I would go on, but as a team effort, we'd all do it. I also knew there were several on the team who had pulled off similar feats, so we could expect them to at least finish (Jerry and Dan came to mind there). I planted myself back with the group at the Resorts Gate. It's HOT. Not hot as is "My gosh, it's toasty out" but "Water. I NEED WA TER. It is H O T" kind of hot. And sun came down like we had heating elements inches from our faces. It's been hotter out, sure, but when you know you have a ride marathon coming, it seems like Death Valley.
Gates open and us GTTP'ers traipse off. (And we didn't even have to do the battering ram, Nat!) I meet Magnum Is Sinking and Vortex right off the bat, and see Joe, ucsigep, Incline Looper, among others. Natalie and I are whuping it up, as we have been since Friday's, with some of our many inside jokes and random neural firings. The crowd grows...the Hoopmeister comes trotting in (By the way, Hooper, I just realized what a hell of a picture that onride from CM is. You've got Robin Innes, MagnumDan, CP Irvine, and RaptorJo ALL IN ONE PICTURE. I say you sell that sucker on eBay and watch it roll in....). The early morning people are crammed around the gate, Dan perched on the employee stool. Some GP start to gather. I look up at Gem and ask myself if this is really going to happen. It will, and it must, but still!
Here comes an employee...with the bad news that Gem will be opening late. Groans rise into the sky. Nervous jokes are exchanged. Watches checked, explatives here and there. But finally, we get our green light....the Gemini 100 has begun!
Natalie and I started the day. Always the bomb and always too much fun that girl is. Pairings occur, friends riding with friends, for the first rides of the day. Whoops go up as GTTP'ers fill up the first red train of the day (blue would come up later)....and then, we're off, Natalie and I cheering (or at least as much as I could with no voice. I SWEAR I don't always sound like that....) and everyone else in good spirits, filled with expectation and hopes for the day. (It pays to be friends with me, because Nat got the hookup of gum, Advil, and Vivarin out of my stock) I think I heard Rob already sobbing for a beer. That first ride was odd...because I would relive it all day (I'll explain later...)...taking the hills on, it just didn't seem like we were going to actually ride this all day. I did know, however, that my oh so wonderful Irish and Scottish background was going to gift me with a massive sunburn at the end of the day. I take a peek at my hair and to my dismay find that the red is fading to a pink that the singer of the same name would be jealous of. Natalie and I start fiddling with our red and blue ribbons in our hair, another trend for the day. Among whoops, hollers, yells, and screams, we roll in. ONE, ONE GEMINI RIDE! HUHUHUHUHUH!
**Folks I need to hit the hay...going to die here if I don't. Tomorrow first thing I'll keep going on this one**
Gates open and us GTTP'ers traipse off. (And we didn't even have to do the battering ram, Nat!) I meet Magnum Is Sinking and Vortex right off the bat, and see Joe, ucsigep, Incline Looper, among others. Natalie and I are whuping it up, as we have been since Friday's, with some of our many inside jokes and random neural firings. The crowd grows...the Hoopmeister comes trotting in (By the way, Hooper, I just realized what a hell of a picture that onride from CM is. You've got Robin Innes, MagnumDan, CP Irvine, and RaptorJo ALL IN ONE PICTURE. I say you sell that sucker on eBay and watch it roll in....). The early morning people are crammed around the gate, Dan perched on the employee stool. Some GP start to gather. I look up at Gem and ask myself if this is really going to happen. It will, and it must, but still!
Here comes an employee...with the bad news that Gem will be opening late. Groans rise into the sky. Nervous jokes are exchanged. Watches checked, explatives here and there. But finally, we get our green light....the Gemini 100 has begun!
Natalie and I started the day. Always the bomb and always too much fun that girl is. Pairings occur, friends riding with friends, for the first rides of the day. Whoops go up as GTTP'ers fill up the first red train of the day (blue would come up later)....and then, we're off, Natalie and I cheering (or at least as much as I could with no voice. I SWEAR I don't always sound like that....) and everyone else in good spirits, filled with expectation and hopes for the day. (It pays to be friends with me, because Nat got the hookup of gum, Advil, and Vivarin out of my stock) I think I heard Rob already sobbing for a beer. That first ride was odd...because I would relive it all day (I'll explain later...)...taking the hills on, it just didn't seem like we were going to actually ride this all day. I did know, however, that my oh so wonderful Irish and Scottish background was going to gift me with a massive sunburn at the end of the day. I take a peek at my hair and to my dismay find that the red is fading to a pink that the singer of the same name would be jealous of. Natalie and I start fiddling with our red and blue ribbons in our hair, another trend for the day. Among whoops, hollers, yells, and screams, we roll in. ONE, ONE GEMINI RIDE! HUHUHUHUHUH!
**Folks I need to hit the hay...going to die here if I don't. Tomorrow first thing I'll keep going on this one**
anxiously awaits installment 3.....
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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
mf laps = 100! No More No Less!!
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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
mf laps = 100! No More No Less!!
Will the team ever reach that vaunted 100 rides mark? Will Natalie become an op on Gemini after this? Will Jerry and Dan make it to Magnum? Will Rob have another beer? Will Hooper have any nails left? Will I manage to get any work done today? Find out in the next exciting adventures of CP Irvine.
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-Brian
I really should be working...
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-Brian
I really should be working...
Will Anne make to 100 for me and my girls....:)
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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
mf laps = 100! No More No Less!!
-------------
http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
mf laps = 100! No More No Less!!
OKAY okay...I'm back now! My STINKING BOYFRIEND OVER THERE, keeping me up all night on the phone, yeah YOU get out from hiding behind that console...the blame goes to him. All that time I shoulda been writing, I was blabbing with him! So I'm back, and I'm writing as I speak..... :)
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*-CP Irvine-* I know who's fault it is!
*The FewER, The Proud, The Po!nter Girls*
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*-CP Irvine-* I know who's fault it is!
*The FewER, The Proud, The Po!nter Girls*
Woah woah WOAH!!! Ok, I was willing to take part of the blame here for depriving these good people of the long awaited CP Irvine TR, but if you're gonna be that way about it, I saw no arm twisting in there. Besides it was early...only 6:30 (Ok, AM but still....), you could have stayed up and done it but NOOOOOOO, you let a little thing like sleep deprivation get in the way. *Sigh* I am just so persecuted here....see what a good woman can cost ya?
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-Brian
I really should be working...
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-Brian
I really should be working...
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